The U.S. Government Accountability Office said today it denied a protest filed by Raytheon Corp. regarding the Joint Cargo Aircraft contract, ending Mobile's shot at a project that could have brought a 150-worker aircraft assembly plant to Mobile Regional Airport.

The decision upholds the U.S. Army and Air Force's award to a team led by L-3 Communications, Alenia Aeronautica and Boeing Co., which together plan to assemble their C-27J Spartan aircraft in Jacksonville, Fla.

Waltham, Mass.-based Raytheon said it would not comment on GAO's ruling until it had time to review the decision. A GAO spokesman said details of the ruling would be issued next week. New York L-3 won the proposed $2 billion contract on June 13.